OBESITY

Obesity and Inactivity in Australia and Other Westernized Countries

Obesity and Inactivity in Australia and Other Westernized Countries

Introduction

Obesity and overweight are two of the foremost conditions currently affecting morbidity and mortality in families in the Australia and other westernized countries. Rates of overweight and obesity, and associated comorbidities, continue to rise in all ethnic and racial groups in Australia, with minority groups most notably impacted. Comorbidities associated with obesity and overweight include insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, elevated lipids, cardiovascular disease, and depression. The cause of overweight and obesity is believed to be complex and multifaceted and has been linked to genetics, eating and feeding behaviors, lifestyle practices, and the food environment. After identifying the focus of care and healthy weight parameters, this entry focuses on interventions and health of families.

Discussion and Analysis

The term obesity means having an excess amount of fat in the human body. People confused this term with overweight, which is completely different. Overweight means too much weight; a person who is overweight could have some extra muscle, water or bones along with a large amount of fat inside his body. However, both the terms mean that the weight of a human is higher than it certainly should be according to the standards of health. Interventions aimed at prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity focus on both the individual with the condition as well as the environment in which the person resides. For most individuals, the family is their most closely linked environment. Within this environment, family members learn and are influenced by family food preferences, influences on eating patterns, exercise beliefs and practices, and access and availability of foods in the home. Cultural values and beliefs strongly influence lifestyle choices and practices and must be considered when targeting any aspect of the environment for change. Family is an important context of care for assessment and intervention of overweight and obesity in adults and children.

Parameters of Healthy Weight, Overweight, and Obesity

The measurement of body mass index (BMI) is widely used to define healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. BMI is the amount of body fatness based on weight divided by the square of height. For example, an adult who weighs 120 lbs and stands 5 feet tall would have a BMI of 23.4. For adults, a BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 would place the adult in a healthy weight range and a BMI over 30 defines obesity. BMI is also used to determine weight parameters in children 2 to 20 years of age; however, after the BMI is calculated, the value is then plotted on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gender-specific growth chart to ascertain a percentile ranking. A child with a percentile ranking between the 5th and 85th percentile would be in a healthy weight range. A child with a BMI greater than the 95th percentile would be defined as obese. Though use of BMI parameters to define weight is currently widespread, the subjective meaning of overweight and obesity varies greatly depending on the ethnicity ...